How do I get there ... straight , oscil late or inch ? High - school students ’ explorat ion patterns of Connected Chemistry models

Connected Chemistry (Levy, Novak & Wilensky, 2005; 2006) is a curriculum package, designed for high-school students, as part of the Modeling Across the Curriculum (MAC) project (Gobert, Horwitz et al, 2003), in which students explore computer models of scientific phenomena. The Connected Chemistry curriculum focuses on topics in chemistry and employs multi-agent NetLogo models (Wilensky, 1999a) embedded in a supporting script to enable students in self-directed inquiry: manipulating and observing interactions between objects at the molecular level in order to gain insight into emergent patterns and macroscopic phenomena. Chapter 1 of connected chemistry focuses on the topic of gases: the microscopic particle behaviors in terms of Kinetic Molecular Theory; the macroscopic patterns, described by the Gas Laws; the relationship between these two description levels; and, the dynamics of change in the system. The multi-agent NetLogo models are embedded within a PedagogicaTM (Horwitz & Burke, 2002) script. This integration of NetLogo and Pedagogica targets several goals, serving curriculum designers, students, as well as researchers. In authoring scripted activities, curriculum designers can combine the best of two worlds: the powerful modeling and exploration tools in NetLogo, and the interactive structured dialogue between the student and the embedding script via Pedagogica. In terms of assessment and research, Pedagogica enables the logging of students’ actions within this learning environment. These include students’ actions with the models, and their textual responses while predicting, observing, analyzing and reflecting upon the issues raised in the curriculum. This logging provides a rich set of data, which is mined, parsed and converted into research-able behaviors relating into the students’ model manipulation, concurrent and overall learning. MAC Connected Chemistry AERA 07 2 In previous work, we have investigated students’ patterns of exploration of the NetLogo models (Levy & Wilensky, 2005, 2006a, 2006b). We identified and described three prominent patterns: “straight to the point”, “oscillation between extremes” and “inching through space”. Herein, we show results of further analysis of these patterns on a larger data-set, in which the patterns were re-conceptualized by converting them into dimensions that characterize the students’ explorations. We present a case study of one student interacting the models and the embedding scripts. We use this case to demonstrate the affordances of logging her activities for gaining a deeper understanding of the process by which she learns through interaction with the models. We demonstrate the particular affordances of the Connected Chemistry curriculum regarding micro-macro relations, and evolving mathematical modeling abilities through data on the preto posttest scores. We elaborate on the affordances of the integration between NetLogo and Pedagogica in authoring and designing activities.